Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC07545

Author/Creator: Washington, George (1732-1799)

Place Written: Mount Vernon, Virginia

Type: Autograph letter signed

Date: 28 August 1762

Pagination: 1 p. : address ; 30.4 x 18.7 cm.

Summary of Content: In a humorous letter, chastizes Bassett, his brother-in-law, for not attending church. States ”strange it is that you will be so blind to truth that the enlightening sounds of the Gospel can not reach your Ear, nor no Examples awaken you to a sense of Goodness ...” Discusses the condition of the tobacco crops, claiming that they are ”assailed by every villainous worm that has had an existence since the days of Noah.” Contains text loss and water stain. Address is included on a separate leaf.

People: Bassett, Burwell, 1764-1841., Washington, George, 1732-1799.

Historical Era: Colonization and Settlement, 1585-1763

Full Transcript: Mount Vernon 28th. August 1762, Dear Sir, I was favoured with your Epistle wrote on a certain 25th. of July when you ought to have been at Church, praying as becomes every good Christian Man who has as much to answer for as you have - strange it is that you will be so blind to truth that the enlightening sounds of the Gospel cannot reach your Ear, nor no Examples awaken you to a sense of Goodness - could you but behold with what religious zeal I hye me to church on every Lords day, it [text loss] do your heart good, and fill it I hope with [text loss] fervency - but heark’ee - I am told you have [text loss]ly introduced into your Family, a certain produc[text loss] which you are lost in admiration of, and spend so much time in contemplating the just proposition of its parts, the ease, and convenience with which it abounds, that it is thought you will have little time to animadvert upon the prospect of your Crops [inserted: &ca] - pray this [struck: to] be reconciled to that anxious care and e[text loss] which is so escencially necessary at a time when [text loss] growing Property - meaning the Tobacco - [inserted: is] assailed by every villainous worm that has had an existence since the days of Noah: (how unkind it was of Noah [inserted: now I have mentioned his name] to suffer such a brood of Vermin to get a berth in the Ark.) but perhaps you may be as well of as we are - that is, have no Tobacco for them to eat and there I think we nicked the Dogs, as I think so do you, - but not without a full assurance of being with a very sincere regard, D Sir Yr Mo Affecte. & Obedt., Go: Washington, P.S. I don’t fo[text loss] to make my comps. to Mrs. Bassett, Miss [Dady], & the little ones, for Miss [Dady] cannot be classed with small People without offering her great Injustice - I shall see you I expect about the first of November. -, [address], To, Collo. Bassett., at, Eltham

Keywords/Subjects: Religion , Presidents

Sub Era: Religion and the Great Awakening

Background: Signer of the U.S. Constitution., , Burwell Bassett was the husband of Anna Maria Dandridge, Martha Washington’s sister.

LOC Search Terms: United States. Constitution--Signers., Presidents--United States., Virginia--History--Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775., Washington, George, 1732-1799--Estate., Washington, George, 1732-1799--Family., Washington family.

Resource: George Washington on attending church, 1762